Project Safe Childhood
The Department of Justice and each United States Attorney’s Office are committed to protecting our children. Our goal “is to prevent child sexual exploitation from occurring in the first place, in order to protect every child’s opportunity and right to have a childhood that is free from sexual abuse, trauma, and exploitation so that they can become the adults they were meant to be. [We seek to] accomplish that goal by efficiently leveraging assets across the federal government in a coordinated manner.” - The National Strategy for Child Exploitation Prevention and Interdiction.
Child Exploitation:
Real Children, Real Victims
by U.S. Attorney Carter M. Stewart, Southern District of OhioAmong all the federal crimes that my office prosecutes, one type stands out as the most horrific because of the violence involved and the vulnerability of the victims: child exploitation.
The emotional consequences of child exploitation can be devastating. “Eyes Wide Open,” a poem written by a victim of child pornography, is just one example of the tremendous suffering victims of such crimes endure. The victim read this poem aloud to the judge and a full courtroom at the sentencing hearing of the defendant who distributed the victim’s images. This defendant was sentenced to 30 years imprisonment.
The victim, who is now almost 18 years old and about to graduate from high school, speaks to student groups about the risks of online predators and how one can begin to heal from being victimized by such predators.
Note: This poem contains strong language. It appears exactly as the victim wrote it, except for the names, which have been redacted to protect individual privacy.
Attorney General Eric Holder announcing the Department of Justice’s National Strategy for Child Exploitation Prevention and Interdiction on August 2, 2010.
Man Admits to Creating Porn at Mother's Day Care
Assistant U.S. Attorney Attorney Christy Muncy (Southern District of Ohio) speaks to Cincinnati's WLWT.
Sexual Exploitation of Children
Francey Hakes, National Coordinator for Child Exploitation Prevention and Interdiction, and Dr. Michael Bourke, Chief Psychologist, U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), appear on Welcome To DC Public Safety's Episode on the Sexual Exploitation of Children.
District of Alaska — Deceber 6, 2011 Convicted Sex Offender Sentenced for Child Pornography Violations in Collin County
Eastern District of Texas — December 2, 2011 Federal Prison Terms Handed Down This Week in Three El Paso Child Pornography Cases
Western District of Texas — December 1, 2011 Warren County Man to Serve 35 Years in Federal Prison for Child Exploitation and Possession of Child Pornography
Central District of Illinois — December 1, 2011 Non-Profit Founder & Attorney gets Maximum Sentence in Sex Tourism Case
Eastern District of Pennsylvania — December 1, 2011 District Man Sentenced to More than 40 Years in Prison for Child Sexual Abuse
District of Columbia — November 30, 2011 Former Jacksonville Middle School Guidance Counselor Sentenced to 140 Years in Federal Prison for Production, Receipt and Possession of Child Pornography
Middle District of Florida — November 30, 2011
Click thumbnails for expanded graphs
Take 25 is a national child safety campaign of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children® (NCMEC) encouraging parents and guardians to take twenty-five minutes to talk to their children about ways to stay safer.
The FBI's Child ID App
Putting Safety in Your Hands
Iphone users can download the FBI Child ID app free from the itunes store. The new app allows storage of photos and other vital information about children in a place that is easily accessible should it ever be needed. Also included in the app are tips for keeping children safe and what to do in the first crucial hours after a child goes missing.
If you believe you have information about potential online child exploitation, you can report it to NCMEC’s Cybertipline.
SEXTING - A Town Hall Meeting (Video)
Internet Safety Links
The 2011 National Strategy Conference on Combating Child Exploitation
May 17 - May 20, 2011
San Jose, California
The theme of the conference, "Partners in Protection and Prevention", expresses the goal of collaboration between the Project Safe Childhood and Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Programs.
The purpose of this conference was to provide training to Federal, State and local law enforcement agencies and task forces in the areas of investigations, forensics, prosecution, community outreach, and capacity-building.
For information on public events near you, click here to find your local U.S. Attorney’s Office and ask for the Law Enforcement Coordinator.
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
